Crazy for You
by Stelena-Beautiful
Summary: A Brody and Natalie mini-series that opens with the premise: What if Liam really was Brody's son in every way?
1. Chapter 1 and 2

_**I started writing this for two reasons. One, I loved Brody and Natalie together so much and two, John is one sucky ass father. I always felt Brody loved him best so here we go. I'll continue posting if I get some much-loved feedback. Thanks.**_

**Chapter 1**

The roads had been icy. She never should have been out driving in a snow storm, let alone with her little boy in the backseat. Now she watched Liam through a glass as he took labored breaths, holding onto life by a thin thread, machines sustaining him.

Tears gushed down her face as she felt a warm hand come down on her shoulder and another one slide around her waist. She leaned into Jessica's embrace. "He's going to be fine," Jessica whispered. "I know it."

Natalie nodded willing herself to believe what Jessica and everyone else was telling her but she didn't trust herself to speak at the moment. Jessica hugged her twin tightly. "Should I call him?" She asked. Natalie stiffened in Jessica's embrace. She had known that question was coming; it had been the one hanging on everyone's praying lips. Should they call him? Didn't he have a right to know his son was in the hospital fighting hell itself?

Natalie felt more tears run down her cheeks. She didn't want to see him. After all he had done, she really, really did not want to see him. Besides, he was in another state. He was starting over. Last she had heard, he was with some chick with a forgettable name. What if he didn't come? What if he did?

Natalie turned around to face her twin sister. She still didn't trust herself to speak but she had to say something. Everyone was looking at her lately like she was about to crumple to pieces right before their very eyes. She was strong though - even if she didn't feel so right then.

She finally nodded. "Yes, yes. Please call him. Just don't tell him everything please. Just tell him to get his butt back to Llanview right now."

Then she turned back around as Jessica slowly released her grip on her redheaded twin. "I'll be right back," Jessica said quietly as she slipped off, leaving Natalie to return to watching her little boy struggling, always struggling, as he had been for the past four days now.

000

Jessica walked into the waiting area and spotted her mother Viki pacing anxiously as she kept her hands clasped together, as if in a continuous prayer. "What does Natalie need? What does she want?" Viki asked.

"I don't think even she knows right now - except that she wants Liam to be okay."

"Of course," Viki agreed. "I will go see her now… What did she decide?"

"She said it's okay to call Liam's father. I think she knows Brody has a right to be here if worse comes to worst."

XoXoXo

**Chapter 2**

It was a mere two weeks until Christmas and he and his girlfriend had just finished decorating the huge, live Christmas tree in their apartment. He hadn't felt like doing anything festive this year but Mary had insisted. She said she loved the holidays; that they reminded her of her happy childhood, with her parents who were long since gone now. How could he honestly say "no" to that?

She leaned over and kissed him gently under the mistletoe she had strung strategically in the entryway. His hands instinctively came up to fist in her curly blonde hair but as always, he didn't feel that crackle of anticipation and desire that came with being intimate with the person you loved. And he did love her … but was he in love with her? He wasn't so sure.

She pulled away and smiled at him. "What's with the big frowny-face, mister?" She asked. She was very uniquely girlish at times.

"I'm just a little tired, I guess," he answered. "Work and all…"

"You should get some sleep then. But first try my world-famous eggnog. I brewed a fresh pot in the kitchen."

He nodded. He didn't want eggnog but at least he knew she had spiced it so that was something to look forward to. He trudged into the kitchen just as the phone jangled to life in his pants' pocket. He looked at the time. It was only ten p.m. but he had no idea who would be calling at this hour. He withdrew his cell and put it to his ear. "Brody here," he said.

"Brody, it's … Jessica. Jessica Buchanan."

As if he wouldn't know that voice anywhere… "Jessica? What's up?" He hadn't heard from her in at least three months. They had promised to keep in touch – in the attempt try to maintain some semblance of a friendship – but each had fallen down on the job.

"Brody, I … I am sorry to have to tell you this over the phone but –"

"What is it? Is Natalie okay? Liam –"

"Liam's … Brody, there was an accident."

"Oh god…"

"He's alive but he's in a coma. Natalie … she needs you here. We all know how much Liam means to you."

"I thought she never wanted to see me again," Brody said as he tried to fight off the overwhelming, crippling emotional need to howl in horror. Liam was still his, in his crazy mind anyway. He still loved the little boy with all his heart.

"Just come. Please," Jessica pleaded.

"I will. I'll be on the next flight back to Llanview," Brody vowed.


	2. Chapter 3 and 4

_**Thanks for the reviews thus far.**_

**Chapter 3**

Joey watched his family huddled together in the waiting room of Llanview Hospital and sighed. They all looked so miserable. Fearful, even - an emotion all Buchanans resented. This was no way to spend Christmas, which was a mere two weeks away. Liam was old enough now that he could have and should have been enjoying the holiday season. He should have been able to coo at the colorful lights, rip his presents open excitedly … The idea that it might not happen … No, no he wouldn't go there.

He looked up to see Kelly moving over to him with a cup of coffee resting in the palm of her hands. "Just the way you like it," she murmured as she passed it to him. He savored the feel of the warmth of her fingers for a moment as she squeezed his hand before depositing the paper cup into them.

"Thanks for taking care of me," Joey said as he lightly swirled the black liquid in the cup. "It should be the other way around though now that you're –"

Kelly covered his lips with a tapered finger. "We agreed not to tell anyone, not right now anyway. It's not the time with little Liam in the hospital fighting for his life."

Joey nodded. "Yeah, I know. I feel so bad for Natalie. I feel bad for Liam and everyone who loves him. I almost even feel sorry for John …" He nodded towards the entryway where John McBain leaned against the doorjamb trying to look nonchalant. The news that he wasn't Liam's father had hit him hard but for once, he hadn't run away with his tail between his legs. He was staying put and Joey could see he was distraught in a way he hadn't been before. He had loved the little boy he had called his son for months now. He had walked out on him before though; Joey remembered that all too well.

He recalled the confrontation last night proceeding Dr. Kyle Lewis dropping the bombshell on them all.

"_I only called you here because you're Liam's father," Natalie spat. "Not that you really care about him."_

"_Oh that's bull and you know it," John said. "You're the one who had a restraining order drawn up to keep me away from him."_

"_You're the one who has walked away from him time and time again, and kissed some slut –"_

"_Don't go there."_

"_Oh I'm sorry, John, did I touch a nerve? Does that Sam person mean more to you than you are willing to admit? Why am I not surprised?"_

"_Natalie, I'm not here to fight," John snapped back in a low voice. "I am here because our son needs me too, like it or not."_

_Joey was standing by his sister protectively, ready to attack John himself when Kyle appeared in the door way. He immediately said, "I have some bad news."_

_Natalie's blue eyes misted with fresh tears. "More bad news? Liam –"_

"_There's been no change in his condition," Kyle said. "But I ran some tests on the blood John donated…"_

"_What kind of tests?" Joey asked as Natalie hugged his side._

"_I think I should tell John and Natalie alone," Kyle said._

_Joey nodded and started to go but Natalie shook her head. "No, Joey, stay here. Please."_

_She seemed to be trying very hard to poise herself for the bad news. Kyle sighed. "I hate to tell you this but John, I ran a DNA test three times and there's no way … There's no way you can possibly be Liam's biological father."_

Xoxo

**Chapter 4**

"Mare," Brody said, walking out of the kitchen and approaching his girlfriend.

Mary looked up at him. "Yeah, _Bro?"_ She chuckled until she saw the expression on his face. "Oh no. What's wrong?"

"It's my son … I mean, it's Liam. The little boy I thought was mine for a while there."

"Uh huh…"

"He's been in an accident, Mary. A bad one. His aunt just called me. I need to go back to Llanview and see him." He watched her placid expression. "Please understand. I loved that little boy and I can't just turn off my feelings like a light switch."

"Of course I understand," Mary said with a shake of her impossibly blonde curls. "But I'm coming with you, you know."

"Huh?" Brody hadn't been expecting that. "Wait, no. It's almost Christmas. You have that big party you've been planning for months …"

"I know but you're way more important to me. You need me now and I'm going to be there for you, Mister Man. So I'll pack while you call the airline. I can't wait to meet all of your friends."

She then scurried up the stairs. Brody shook his head for a moment and then ran for the phone to arrange a flight. Liam needed him; he could feel it.

XoXoXo

"_What do you mean I'm not Liam's father?" John asked. "That's impossible. Marty Saybrooke …"_

"_Yeah I know the story," Kyle said. "But when I was running your blood there was no DNA match. I'm sorry; John, but you can't help Liam. Not this way anyway. Maybe one of Natalie's relatives can donate some blood."_

_Natalie looked flabbergasted. "So Brody is really Liam's father after all? Are you sure?"_

"_Unless there was someone else, I'm sure."_

"_There was no one else," Natalie said quietly. She felt her knees start to give out on her and Joey noticing the way she was weaving, grabbed for his sister, pressing her to his side._

"_This is insanity," John said running a hand through his jet-black hair. "I love that little boy."_

_Joey glared at him. "Well you have a funny way of showing it. Anyway, I expect you'll be leaving now."_

_John shook his head. "No. I may not be Liam's-" he swallowed hard –"daddy but believe it or not, I do love him and I want to see this through." He reached out to Natalie then but she slapped his hand away._

"_You were never a father to Liam anyway," Natalie bit out in disgust and then with Joey's help, she walked out of the room, leaving John staring sorrowfully after her._


	3. Chapter 5

_**This is a shorter update but I hope you all like it. Keep the reviews coming! Hehe**_

**Chapter 5**

The flight was long and especially tortuous considering the way Mary prattled incessantly about everything under the sun. Not that there was much sun to be found. The night was very dark and cold. When the plane touched down in Llanview, it was snowing hard. Mary glommed onto him and practically shoved her way into his coat. He had told her to wear a snow jacket but she'd insisted on a sweater – a dumb Christmas sweater with a big stenciled design of Rudolph on it; complete with red, blinking nose – and jeans. The whole way to the hospital she whined about the cold and huddled too close to him. He felt very claustrophobic and he felt bad for it too. Mary had been nothing but amazing to him from the day they had met. While he wasn't exactly sure that he was in love with her, even after all this time, he knew he wasn't going to leave her now either. Even if right now she was driving him nuts.

The cabbie stopped the taxi at the curb in front of the hospital and Brody took a long, deep breath before he climbed out with Mary. She held onto the belt loops of his pants like a child and he sighed as he passed the cabbie forty dollars.

It was barely five a.m. when they arrived on the PEDs wing but the whole of Llanview seemed to have turned out to hold vigil. Liam must have been in worse condition than Brody had guessed. He wasn't a praying man but quickly said one in his head anyway. He noticed John McBain sitting in the corner of the room chatting with Blair Cramer. They both looked up as he walked into the waiting room. In fact, all the conversations around him died a fast, painful death.

Brody stiffened as John watched him with a glare on his face, but Brody reminded himself that he wasn't there to entertain John's attitude issues. He was here for Liam. Liam was still his son, if only in his heart.

Jessica walked into the room, looking a sight for sore eyes. Spotting Brody, she immediately ran to him, blonde hair flying out behind her. She threw her arms around him as Mary watched. "Ahem," Mary said. "Who's this?"

Jessica and Brody disentangled. Brody looked at Mary. "This is Jessica Buchanan."

"Oh that Jessica?" Mary said. Brody sighed as Jessica looked at him questioningly. Mary moved forward and grabbed Jessica's hand, pumping it vigorously. "Hi, Jessica. I'm Mary Loring, Brody's squeeze, right, Brody?"

Brody nodded. "Yeah."

"I wish we could have met under better circumstances," Mary went on. "How's little Liam?"

"Uh, hi," Jessica said uncertainly. She looked back at Brody. "I'm so glad you're here. I know Natalie and Liam will be too… He's in a coma," she gulped out. "But they say he can hear us. That he can feel us. I hope it's true."

Brody nodded as he felt emotion clog his throat as well. He finally managed to choke out, "A coma? That's … Oh god, poor Liam."

"Yes," Jessica said.

"What can I do? Is there anything…?" He broke off when he saw a familiar redhead approaching. "Natalie…."

"Brody," she returned.

"Thanks for letting me come, Natalie."

"It wasn't really up to me," Natalie said. "Liam adored you and I know you adore him. Plus, Brody… Maybe you should sit down for this."

"For what?" Brody asked. He looked around the room at the dismal faces. "What's everyone not telling me here?"

"Let's go somewhere private," Natalie said.

"No, tell me now. Everyone else seems to know. What the hell is going on? Is it something about Liam?"

Natalie nodded. She looked at Jessica for support and Jessica wrapped her arms around her twin who looked exhausted and depleted.

"It's about Liam," Natalie said. "I don't know how to say this so I'm going to just spit it out …Brody, you're Liam's father. His _biological_ father."


End file.
